Cost of Living Comparison Between Nis and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Nis and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,029 per month in Nis vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,531 per month in Nis vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,033 per month in Nis vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Nis is about 18% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Nis and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Nis 23% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.52 RSD 765

$11.72 MX$203

-35.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.69 RSD 3,020

$41.89 MX$725

-29.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 RSD 991

$10.51 MX$182

-7.33%

Cappuccino

$1.98 RSD 201

$3.59 MX$62.0

-44.85%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RSD 186

$1.51 MX$26.10

21.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 RSD 126

$0.92 MX$15.83

34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 RSD 257

$2.96 MX$51.2

-14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 RSD 306

$4.41 MX$76.3

-31.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 RSD 130

$1.40 MX$24.16

-9.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 RSD 76.3

$1.88 MX$32.60

-60.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 RSD 183

$1.56 MX$26.97

15.38%

Eggs

$2.38 RSD 242

$2.61 MX$45.14

-8.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 RSD 801

$8.32 MX$144

-5.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 RSD 700

$8.35 MX$145

-17.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 RSD 1,170

$10.86 MX$188

5.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RSD 120

$2.71 MX$46.93

-56.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 RSD 183

$1.51 MX$26.04

19.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 RSD 153

$1.87 MX$32.41

-19.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 RSD 182

$2.19 MX$37.89

-18.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 RSD 108

$1.86 MX$32.14

-42.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 RSD 110

$2.23 MX$38.59

-51.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 RSD 60.8

$1.07 MX$18.48

-43.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 RSD 58.8

$1.09 MX$18.79

-46.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 RSD 427

$4.19 MX$72.4

0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.69 RSD 579

$10.43 MX$180

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 RSD 76.6

$1.66 MX$28.68

-54.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 RSD 210

$2.61 MX$45.19

-21.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RSD 79.3

$0.54 MX$9.37

44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.17 RSD 2,661

$26.16 MX$453

0.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 RSD 148

$3.08 MX$53.3

-52.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 RSD 43.30

$2.40 MX$41.61

-82.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 RSD 714

$3.13 MX$54.1

124.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 RSD 180

$1.31 MX$22.69

35.11%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$31.2K RSD 3.2M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

4.60%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.9K RSD 2.7M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

15.41%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$141 RSD 14.3K

$81.3 MX$1,406

73.09%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$16.79 RSD 1,708

$22.56 MX$390

-25.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.17 RSD 2,255

$30.05 MX$520

-26.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.18 RSD 2,968

$52.9 MX$915

-44.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 RSD 1,898

$18.39 MX$318

1.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 RSD 501

$4.92 MX$85.1

0.20%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$233 RSD 23.7K

$201 MX$3,474

15.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,098 RSD 518.5K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-1.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 RSD 9,208

$35.92 MX$622

152.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.09 RSD 4,687

$40.13 MX$694

14.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 RSD 9,720

$79.7 MX$1,379

19.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RSD 10.3K

$86.5 MX$1,496

16.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 RSD 41.4K

$978 MX$16.9K

-58.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 RSD 29.7K

$470 MX$8,140

-37.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 RSD 56.7K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-66.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 RSD 42.1K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-65.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,550 RSD 259.4K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-35.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,885 RSD 191.7K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-71.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$903 RSD 91.9K

$677 MX$11.7K

33.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.45

11.42

-34.76%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Nis: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $407 in Nis versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 33% higher in Nis, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Nis versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $252 – making Nis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Nis vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 22% more than Nis, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,543 per month in Nis and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nis, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,029 in Nis and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Nis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nis, where all-in costs run around $1,029, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Nis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nis costs $1,029 versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Nis. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.